As the first private airport in Vietnam, Van Don International Airport has invested in synchronous and modern infrastructure. However, in recent years, due to the severe impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the operating capacity at the airport has not met expectations. Therefore, the unit is making efforts to promote and advertise as well as improve facilities to connect more flights to Quang Ninh.
Travel agencies connect and exchange contact information with representatives of Van Don International Airport.
Last December, Quang Ninh province organized a famtrip group of Chinese travel agencies to survey some tourist destinations in Quang Ninh, including Van Don International Airport. This is one of the locations that many travel agencies are interested in with the goal of organizing full-flight flights, connecting and bringing tourists from Chinese provinces to Quang Ninh. Mr. Zou Hang, CEO of Ma Yi Guilin International Travel Co., Ltd., said: In 2019, I went to Van Don International Airport to survey and learn about the policies of Quang Ninh province and Sun Group in connecting charter flights bringing Chinese tourists to Quang Ninh and vice versa. However, the severe impact of the Covid-19 epidemic made it impossible for us to realize this idea. I really want to connect flights bringing tourists from China to Quang Ninh after this trip; as well as build reasonable tours and routes from new tourist destinations in Quang Ninh.
In general, travel agencies highly appreciate the quality of Van Don International Airport and the feasibility of opening charter flights. In addition, they also hope that Quang Ninh province and Sun Group will join hands, have stronger support policies and incentives to open more flights to bring Chinese tourists to Quang Ninh and vice versa. Specifically, it is possible to study the connection from Van Don to Guilin, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hunan, and Nanning airports, because these are all densely populated areas where Chinese tourists love to come to Quang Ninh.
Passengers check in before their flight at Van Don International Airport.
Van Don International Airport is a special transport project invested in construction since 2015 with a scale of a level 4E airport; the length of the runway is 3,600m. The planned capacity by 2030 is 2.5 million passengers/year; after 2030 is 5 million passengers/year. Since being put into operation in December 2018, Van Don International Airport has operated domestic flights to Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and Can Tho. In addition, there are a number of international flights in the form of charter flights and a number of routes connecting to China and Korea. However, the Covid-19 pandemic that broke out in 2019 has severely affected the world economy in general and Vietnam in particular, directly affecting flight operations at Van Don International Airport. Both flights to Da Nang and Can Tho have stopped operating. Currently, only the flight to Ho Chi Minh City is still being operated by Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air with an average frequency of about 6 flights/week.
Synchronous infrastructure of Van Don International Airport.
According to information from Van Don International Airport, since its operation, the airport has welcomed over 6,200 domestic landings and takeoffs with nearly 775,000 people; about 570 international landings and takeoffs with nearly 76,800 passengers; total cargo reached 3,700 tons. Of which, in 2024 alone, it will welcome about 580 domestic landings and takeoffs with nearly 81,000 passengers; 8 international landings and takeoffs with 80 passengers. Total cargo is about 700 tons.
According to the assessment of Van Don Investment and Development Joint Stock Company, the port management unit, Van Don International Airport currently has development potential but has not been exploited effectively, commensurately, and has not met the needs of air transport development according to the development orientation of the Government and Quang Ninh province. Part of the reason comes from the fact that the Port has not provided enough services such as: Cargo terminal, aircraft repair area, food processing area, aircraft parking lot and airport service areas, so it has not attracted major airlines to deploy flights to Quang Ninh, especially not attracting aircraft in need of maintenance, repair and major repairs.
Last November, the Minister of Transport signed Decision 1457/QD-BGTVT approving the task of developing the Van Don International Airport Planning for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050. The goal of the planning is to arrange reasonable space to ensure the development of Van Don International Airport in accordance with the needs of air transport and orientation according to the Master Plan for the development of the national airport system for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050; proposing a suitable investment roadmap.
In addition, to improve the efficiency of Van Don International Airport and realize the direction of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on urgently building a cargo route with Can Tho airport to connect the fastest with the Mekong Delta, facilitating the transportation of goods from the South to the North, reducing the load on the North-South road, Van Don Investment and Development Joint Stock Company has proposed the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam to approve the Company to be funded by the product of the Van Don International Airport Planning dossier for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050.
In the coming time, to continue promoting and attracting flights to Van Don International Airport, Sun Group is actively working with localities and units. According to Mr. Pham Van Hiep, Executive Director of Sun Group Northeast, Van Don International Airport is currently continuing to promote the opening of new domestic routes to Phu Quoc or Nha Trang, and at the same time resuming flights to Can Tho and Da Nang. For the international market, we will promote the opening of new international routes in the form of series charter and charter (private flights for tourists of a travel agency) to Van Don, focusing on the group of routes from China and Korea.
In addition, the unit also hopes that Quang Ninh province will restore the price support policy and exemption for international passengers through Van Don International Airport when using the province's tourism products. At the same time, it proposes to promote the image of Van Don International Airport in association with famous destinations of the province to promote and attract tourists to Quang Ninh through Van Don International Airport./.
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